Dear Boise Dear World

Dear Boise, Dear World Yesterday I spent the evening embracing the wind and the dark gray clouds that came in over my city as the sun fell. Camel's Back Park sits nestled tightly against the foothills at the North End of Boise. The park is named rightly so. The hilly landscape takes a sudden climb and features several steep humps and bumps where park goers can hike, walk, and stroll up the trail, then be overlooking the entire city of Boise.

Standing there I looked at my city, our city, the city of Boise. "The City of Trees" as it's coined has a population of a little over 200,000 residents. From the steepest part of the Camel's Back we watched. Children playing frisbee, a group of volley ballers enjoying the last bit of sun and the several dog walkers and joggers that peppered the sidewalks. I watched.


It was inspiring.

It's inspiring because it's my city, it's your city, it's our city. There you could see the neighborhoods, the houses, the businesses, the capitol; a set of small distinct versions of skyscrapers and of course, The People. It's inspiring because we own it. As people and as Boise residents we decide what happens. It starts with us. It's our duty to get to know our neighbors, be aware of the issues that affect us, and to be involved in the social change that helps.

Dear Boise, it is us as citizens and residents of this city to do something, to act, to change things that hinder our improvement or our development of being a finer city and the change we want to see. It starts with us.

To give a population ratio, Boise is only 1/40,000th of the world's population. How minuscule is Boise compared to the rest of the World? Yet, whatever influence we have here will affect the World. Whatever change we make in Boise is a change we make in the World. It starts with us Boise.

Dear World, No matter how small or how insignificant the difference you make, like wildfire it will spread and effect an immeasurable amount of lives for generations to come. Each and every one of you are capable of it. No matter the city, the community, the state or the nation, a change you make in your community, is a change you make in the World.

Dear Boise, Dear World, act for the change you want to see. Define the change you desire and strive for it, yearn for it as passionately as you can, and let no boundaries or obstacles stand in your way. We are part of our own community, we are a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the people on this planet, yet we are capable of so much. Dear Boise, Dear World serve, inspire and act.

Create Common Good with music Good Life by One Republic

Here are a few clips and audio bits from my recent trip to CreateCommonGood a non-profit organization that trains and skills refugees in the Culinary arts. All footage was taken with my IPAD so this is not official film footage, just a few bits and pieces with a little audio. These guys are freaking awesome!!

Create Common Good: the Kitchen

After the Farm I headed to the Create Common Good Kitchen which helped newly immigrated refugees learn cooking skills, english proficiency, and american cultural immersion through a culinary arts class. It seemed interesting, yet I had no idea how profound my experience would be...

When I arrived at the kitchen, it was all smiles and the room was full of energy. Brent the Director of Culinary Training and the class instructor, was charming and spoke intelligently with his enchanting Australian accent. Originally from New Zealand and then Brisbane, Australia he gained extensive culinary and international experience with five-star hotels and restaurants. What an amazing and tremendous spirit he brings to CCG, I thought.

He greeted me promptly introducing me to the kitchen full of student refugees. I was immediately impressed with the amount of enthusiasm everyone had; laughing, playing and their contagious smiles. There were more than a half-dozen students from all over the world from Eritrea to the Congo, from the US and beyond. Several plates sat out on the stainless steel counter with freshly heaping scoops of rice pilaf. The kitchen smelled rich and flavorful as one of the students began telling me the ingredients of the main dish; an Asian stir fry with a variety of peppers and greens.

Brent and I had a brief but meaningful discussion of the program that was unfolding before my eyes. Brent personally teaches and instructs the students in not only the culinary arts, but proper nutrition, and english conversational skills as well. I asked for examples of his methods and he explained further.
The day before he taught the group how to examine a whole chicken and plan for meals accordingly. He taught a nutritional lesson, as well a responsible sustainability aspect by preventing wasteful cooking tactics. This structure of teaching helps the students not only succeed on a professional culinary level, but also allows them to function as independent individuals capable of supporting themselves and their families.

As we gathered at a long dining table in the neighboring room, Brent led us in prayer. It was perfect, and at that moment I realized how beneficial this program was to the students. These students of CCG received educational, vocational, and spiritual guidance all delivered in one lesson.

As we sat and ate I learned more about Brent and the divine intervention which brought him to Boise. Brent described his "calling to serve" the refugee community, and through a series of chance interconnections it was made possible. Brent trusted in something that was more than himself which led him to a phenomenal and meaningful project.

I look forward to spending more time with them in the coming weeks. As a native Australian, Brent is truly a remarkable individual who answers his calling to serve in a country thousands of miles away. His love for the international community, his passion for the disadvantaged, and his ability to touch and change lives make him the epitome of a true Global Citizen.

Create Common Good: the Farm

Create Common Good's farm and outreach program sits nestled just inside Surprise Valley which is just below the ridge line of the Boise Bench. The Boise Bench is a tremendous symbol and significant geographic trademark of Boise as it outlines and boundaries the ancient Great Snake River plains. As we approached our destination the sharp May sun poked over the Idaho mountains and onto the lush green of this area known as Surprise Valley. After recent days of rain and moisture the trees were vibrant with green and color, and colorfully outlining our drive. We pulled into the farm just as the crew started unloading with their shovels and tools. Two workers began pulling at a system of flexible irrigation pipe preparing to soak the dozens and dozens of newly planted produce rows. Tyler the director of farm sales, outreach and food operations waved us in as he directed some of the workers. We met him within the field lightly treading between the dirt rows and careful not to disturb the new sprouts. He explained to us the workers were foreign refugees mostly from Bhutan and one from the Congo. Create Common Good was established to employ local refugees as well as provided the job training to function in the American work environment. The on-the-job training provides newly immigrated refugees with english skills as well as professional etiquette while also delivering wages and food to support their family. As I saw the refugees work the field planting and working the soil with their shovels I noticed the traffic that drove by. I wondered if the people driving by had any idea of the tremendous story each one of them had. We were introduced to Devi, a Bhutanese refugee who escaped Bhutan only to endure the harsh conditions of a Nepalese refugee camp. His wife and children moved to Boise nearly 4 years ago to help start Common Good. Devi was experienced and educated in sustainable agrarian farming, received his masters by a University in India before the conflict in Bhutan forced his family to flee. Devi spoke modestly of his story, talking quietly while he patiently observed his crew tend the farmland. He knew a wide variety of organic agrarian methods. A compost pile sat in the back of the farm as he told me tricks of the trade that help keep their farm chemical and pesticide free. Devi and Tyler both walked me through the farm explaining the variety of vegetables and fruits they expected to harvest. Tyler also explained how they depended on a volunteer base to keep things moving smoothly. Devi told me that due to cuts in grants and funding they were unable to employ as many refugees as years before. Years prior they had nearly two dozen refugees employed by the farm, yet this year they could only afford six. Overall I learned a lot my first day with them. After meeting the entire crew and observing everything we loaded up and headed to the Kitchen.